Landmark Study Gives Canadian Government Failing Grades In Alcohol Policies The topic of today’s episode is the CAPE – the Canadian Alcohol Policy Evaluation. The CAPE is a world class scientific approach to assessing how Canada’s national and provincial governments are doing in alcohol policy making. The robust, regular, comprehensive evaluation combined with the infrastructure around it and public relations work linked to it make for an inspiring model for countries around the world. To discuss all this in depth, Elizabeth Farkouh joins today’s show. She is the lead author of the study published in May 2024 about their assessment of federal alcohol policies in Canada and priority recommendations. Elizabeth and host Maik Dünnbier had a great conversation with many insights from her different experiences and with many lessons for alcohol policy not just for Canada but worldwide. Highlights of the show In today’s show, Maik speaks with Elizabeth about the heavy alcohol burden in Canada and the country’s policy response. She shares mind blowing – in the concerning kind of way – facts about the magnitude of alcohol harm. In the face of  this massive alcohol burden, the CAPE’s results and grades for the Canadian government are truly shocking. Elizabeth explains the grades and in the conversation, Maik and Elizabeth dive into the details of key policy recommendations, focusing on the alcohol policy best buys. They also talk about comparability of the CAPE to other countries and the potential of applying this type of alcohol policy evaluation in other countries. And they explore how the scientific exercise of assessing policy implementation – or complete lack thereof – can be linked to advocacy and community action for change. Elizabeth shares an inspiring best practice from Canada’s experience. Our guest Elizabeth Farkouh is a research assistant at the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research. She has conducted international work related to alcohol use including a review on the effect of alcohol policies on suicide, an educational curriculum on alcohol and cancer for middle school students, and the Canadian Alcohol Policy Evaluation project. Follow Elizabeth's work on LinkedIn. Resources for the episode  Science Digest: "Canadian Government Receives Failing Grade for Lack of Evidence-Based Alcohol Policies" The Canadian Alcohol Policy Evaluation (CAPE) New Study: Alcohol Policies to Prevent NCDs Generate Positive Societal Impacts Immediately WHO Report: Alcohol Best Buys With Second Highest Return on Investment Feedback Your feedback, questions, and suggestions for future topics and guests is most welcome. Please get in touch at: maik.duennbier@movendi.ngo. You are most welcome to follow Movendi International and Maik Dünnbier on LinkedIn, too. About The Alcohol Issues Podcast The Alcohol Issues Podcast is an original production from Movendi International. It’s a show about latest alcohol policy developments, brand new research, and stories that reveal the predatory practices of the alcohol industry. We bring you in-depth conversations with trail-blazing alcohol policy makers, visionary community activists, and leading scientists. We do it all to reshape how the world thinks about alcohol’s impact on society and the benefits of alcohol policy action.

When Less Is More: Health And Social Benefits From Reduced Alcohol Consumption In today’s show we’re discussing a brand new report that compiles world class evidence about what happens when alcohol consumption goes down. Together with Dr Tim Stockwell, we bring you an in-depth view of the science behind the benefits of declining alcohol consumption – on the individual and societal levels. The report called “When less is more. The health and social benefits from reduced alcohol consumption” is part of the awesome report series “Alcohol and Society”. You can find all other reports on the website and I’ll put more information in the show notes. We recorded this conversation on March 6, 2025. Highlights of the show In today’s show, Tim and host Maik Dünnbier discuss why the researchers group of the Alcohol an Society report series decided to flip the perspective from looking into the harms caused by alcohol to examining the benefits of reduced alcohol consumption. The new report covers individual and societal dimensions of the benefits of reduced alcohol consumption. Maik and Tim talk about both the individual level and the societal picture to understand what happens when people and populations reduce alcohol consumption. Tim shares which findings he thinks people should absolutely know about regarding the personal benefits from reduced alcohol use. As the report shows, discussing the evidence of the positive consequences for people and societies when alcohol consumption falls is not common. Therefore, flipping the perspective from focusing on harms to focusing on what the science says about the good things that happen when alcohol consumption declines is fascinating. Tim also shares research insights on what governments can do to achieve these benefits. Our guest Our guest for today’s conversation is Dr Tim Stockwell. He’s been on the show before. Tim held the position of director of the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research, at the University of Victoria since its inception in 2004 until 2020. He has also been a professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Victoria since 2004. He has published over 400 research papers, book chapters and monographs, plus several books on prevention and treatment issues.   The research reports in the Alcohol and Society series are produced by an international group of medical and public health researchers from Canada, Australia, the United States, and Sweden. This group convenes each year without compensation to produce a report about a unique topic concerning alcohol. With the latest report, the series comprises now 11 landmark scientific investigations. The reports have the goal to evaluate the most relevant published scientific research from around the world and to provide a summary of the best knowledge on a highly relevant topics, such as the harm from low-dose alcohol use, or the link between alcohol and blood pressure, or alcohol’s second-hand harms.  Resources for the episode  The Know Alcohol website Study by Robin Room and colleagues: Long waves of consumption or a unique social generation? Exploring recent declines in youth alcohol use Alcohol policy success in Lithuania: Understanding Lithuania’s Alcohol Policy Success Alcohol policy success in Scotland: Alcohol Minimum Unit Pricing in Scotland Is Linked with 13% Fall in Alcohol Deaths Feedback Your feedback, questions, and suggestions for future topics and guests is most welcome. Please get in touch at: maik.duennbier@movendi.ngo. You are most welcome to follow Movendi International and Maik Dünnbier on LinkedIn, too. About The Alcohol Issues Podcast The Alcohol Issues Podcast is an original production from Movendi International. It’s a show about latest alcohol policy developments, brand new research, and stories that reveal the predatory practices of the alcohol industry. We bring you in-depth conversations with trail-blazing alcohol policy makers, visionary community activists, an

Nordic Alcohol Monopolies As Comprehensive Model For Preventing Alcohol Harm With this episode of the Alcohol Issues Podcast we bring you a special discussion of a special alcohol policy topic: how the Nordic alcohol retail monopolies work and why they are so successful. This is a special discussion because for the longest time, there was a gap between the public health success of the Nordic alcohol retail monopolies and public attention to that success. But this is changing and with this episode we’re discussing a brand new report that compiles latest evidence about nordic alcohol monopolies as comprehensive model for preventing alcohol harm. We bring you an inside view of the working and effects of the nordic alcohol retail monopolies together with an esteemed guest: Maria Renström.   We recorded this conversation on February 10, 2025. Highlights of the show In today’s show, Maria and host Maik Dünnbier discuss some highlights of her career and how this informs her current work in Sweden and for WHO. They dive deep into the new WHO Europe report "Nordic alcohol monopolies: understanding their role in a comprehensive alcohol policy structure and public health significance", why it is relevant now, what the report finds, and what its recommendations are. Maria explains how the Nordic alcohol retail monopolies work, their key features, and how they are different from private, profit-driven models of alcohol retail. Maria and Maik also talk about the public support and look into the future. Our guest Maria Renström is one of the lead authors of WHO Europe’s new report on the Nordic alcohol monopolies. In her illustrious career, with a background in socialogy, Maria has worked at all levels of government: city of Stockholm, ministry of health and social affiars in Sweden, European Commission, World Health Organization, where she has had different roles and responsibilities over the years. She has been one of the decisive leaders for the adoption of the WHO Global Alcohol Strategy in 2010, the EU Alcohol Strategy in 2006, and the commitment for Sweden to maintain its alcohol retail monopoly when joining the EU 30 years ago. Resources for the episode  WHO/Europe highlights Nordic alcohol monopolies as a comprehensive model for alcohol harm prevention, Nordic alcohol monopolies: understanding their role in a comprehensive alcohol policy structure and public health significance (PDF), UN News: Nordic alcohol monopolies are reducing alcohol consumption, and Reducing alcohol consumption, the Nordic way: alcohol monopolies, marketing bans and higher taxation. Feedback Your feedback, questions, and suggestions for future topics and guests is most welcome. Please get in touch at: maik.duennbier@movendi.ngo. You are most welcome to follow Movendi International and Maik Dünnbier on LinkedIn, too. About The Alcohol Issues Podcast The Alcohol Issues Podcast is an original production from Movendi International. It’s a show about latest alcohol policy developments, brand new research, and stories that reveal the predatory practices of the alcohol industry. We bring you in-depth conversations with trail-blazing alcohol policy makers, visionary community activists, and leading scientists. We do it all to reshape how the world thinks about alcohol’s impact on society and the benefits of alcohol policy action.

Directly From Geneva: Inside the WHO Executive Board Meeting With this show, we bring you an inside view of the Executive Board meeting of the World Health Organization Director of Strategy and Advocacy, Maik Dünnbier is in Geneva, representing Movendi International the membership to contribute to the discussions about key global health challenges. In the show we want to share unique insights and brand new updates from the proceedings - directly from Geneva.   To do that, Maik changes his role and Pierre Andersson is the host of this episode. Pierre is Alcohol Policy Advocacy Advisor at Movendi International.  We recorded this conversation on February 11, 2025 – in the morning of the final day of the 156th session of the WHO Executive Board. Highlights of the show In today’s show, Pierre and Maik discuss what the WHO Executive Board is, why it matters, and why Movendi International is participating. They dive deep into several topics that are on the agenda to discuss if and how alcohol harm and alcohol policy solutions are being addressed. Maik shares an analysis of gaps, omissions, and opportunities for improvement. In the conversation, Pierre and Maik also shed light on alcohol industry interference and conflicts of interest. And Pierre challenges Maik to look to the future, asking about what the deliberations and decisions at this Executive Board meeting mean for upcoming major event in global health later this year. Our guest Maik Dünnbier is Director of Strategy and Advocacy at Movendi International.   He has an academic background in political science, philosophy, and history of ideas as well as global development Dresden University, in Germany and Stockholm University, in Sweden. In addition, he has extensive experience in youth work on local, national and European levels, having volunteered for more than a decade in different functions for Movendi International. Maik leads Movendi International’s advocacy work on global and regional level, including the engagement with the UN system. Maik develops the strategic approach to advancing comprehensive alcohol policy solutions to support countries in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. You can follow Maik's work on LinkedIn. Resources for the episode  WHO EB 156, February 2025: Movendi International advocacy priorities and agenda item analysis All Movendi International statements WHO 156th Executive Board Meeting landing page All agenda items Feedback Your feedback, questions, and suggestions for future topics and guests is most welcome. Please get in touch at: maik.duennbier@movendi.ngo. You are most welcome to follow Movendi International and Maik Dünnbier on LinkedIn, too. About The Alcohol Issues Podcast The Alcohol Issues Podcast is an original production from Movendi International. It’s a show about latest alcohol policy developments, brand new research, and stories that reveal the predatory practices of the alcohol industry. We bring you in-depth conversations with trail-blazing alcohol policy makers, visionary community activists, and leading scientists. We do it all to reshape how the world thinks about alcohol’s impact on society and the benefits of alcohol policy action.

New Report: "From Sports to Screens - Exposing Big Alcohol’s Predatory Practices in 2024" For the first episode in our fourth season we discuss a brand new report that reveals the unethical practices of the alcohol industry. The report is called “From sports to screens: exposing Big Alcohol’s predatory practices in 2024”. Movendi International launched the report in a virtual event on January 16, 2025 and in today’s conversation I talk with the main author Pierre Andersson and the moderator of the launch event Kristína Šperková. In this show, Pierre and Kristina share the most appalling cases of alcohol industry misconduct. They provide a unique analysis of how the alcohol industry is doing and what that means for our societies. Host Maik Dünnbier unpacks the key findings of the brand new report with Kristína and Pierre. They discuss the lessons and insights from the launch event, where four experts from four different vantage points discussed alcohol industry interference and what to do about it. Vesna Kerstin Petric, Head of the Office for Cooperation with WHO at the Ministry of Health of Slovenia, and member of the WHO Executive Board Monika Kosinska, Global Head of Economic and Commercial Determinants, World Health Organization Jim McCambridge, University College London, UK Juliet Namukasa, Chairperson, Uganda Alcohol Policy Alliance Together they talk about the Dubious Five strategies and the key themes of alcohol industry interference in 2024, and they discuss what it all means for 2025. Our guests Pierre Andersson is Alcohol Policy Advocacy Advisor at Movendi International. As part of this work, he’s monitoring, documenting, and exposing the strategies and tactics of the alcohol industry on a daily basis. For example, in 2024, he published more than 100 cases of misconduct on the BigAlcohol.Exposed website. You can follow Pierre's work on LinkedIn. Kristína Šperková is International President of Movendi International. As part of this work, she faces alcohol industry interference at all levels, be it in local communities in Slovakia or at the international level in the areas of global health and sustainable development. Kristina has worked for 20 years to address alcohol as a women’s rights issue and has documented how the alcohol industry has exploited women to market and sell alcohol to men, and later began to target women to drive up alcohol use in women. All these Big Alcohol practices have severe consequences for the health and rights of women. You can follow Kristína's work on LinkedIn. Feedback Your feedback, questions, and suggestions for future topics and guests is most welcome. Please get in touch at: maik.duennbier@movendi.ngo. You are most welcome to follow Movendi International and Maik Dünnbier on LinkedIn, too. About The Alcohol Issues Podcast The Alcohol Issues Podcast is an original production from Movendi International. It’s a show about latest alcohol policy developments, brand new research, and stories that reveal the predatory practices of the alcohol industry. We bring you in-depth conversations with trail-blazing alcohol policy makers, visionary community activists, and leading scientists. We do it all to reshape how the world thinks about alcohol’s impact on society and the benefits of alcohol policy action.

What We Know For Sure – and What Not – About the Potential of Policy Measures to Protect People From Alcohol Marketing For the eleventh episode in our third season we discuss what we know for sure – and what not – about the potential of policy measures to protect people from alcohol marketing. Together with today’s guest, Dr Jakob Manthey, we discuss his recent and hotly debated study that found that alcohol marketing bans do not constitute a best buy for reducing alcohol consumption. In this show, host Maik Dünnbier and Jakob Manthey discuss in depth the study published in January 2024 where Jakob and colleagues systematically reviewed the evidence for effects of total and partial bans of alcohol marketing on alcohol consumption. This study got a lot of attention because of the conclusion that “there is insufficient evidence to claim that alcohol marketing bans are a best buy to reduce alcohol consumption.” Maik and Jakob talk about why this systematic review was necessary, what the findings are, and what the results mean and do not mean. Maik also asks a few critical questions about the study and Jakob shared valuable insights. They also talk about the meaning of the study results and where we go from here – in research, policy, and advocacy. Background to the show and study Alcohol marketing is a billion dollar business and alcohol companies pumping so much money into advertising, promotion, and sponsorship means they are getting massive returns on their investments. Six alcohol companies rank among the world’s largest spenders on advertising. The leading alcohol advertisers worldwide spent an estimated US$ 17.2 billion on alcohol advertising in 2019. In both high- and low-income countries, alcohol marketers occupy dominant positions, and in 24 of the countries tracked by AdAge, they are among the 10 largest advertising spenders. And evidence shows that alcohol marketing makes children and youth initiate alcohol use earlier and if they already consume alcohol, exposure to alcohol marketing makes them consume even more alcohol. A 2021 study revealed that the alcohol industry made $17.5 billion in sales revenue (in 2016) from alcohol sales to minors in the United States. The World Health Organization has classified banning alcohol ads, promotion, and sponsorship as one of three alcohol policy best buy solutions to prevent and redcuce alcohol harm. But a recent and hotly debated study systematically reviewed the evidence for effects of total and partial bans of alcohol marketing on alcohol consumption. Jakob and his research colleagues concluded that available empirical evidence does not support the claim that alcohol marketing bans constitute a best buy for reducing alcohol consumption. For this podcast conversation we have invited the lead author Dr Jakob Manthey. Our guest Dr Jakob Manthey is a renowned researcher in the field of alcohol epidemoelogy and policy. He has published groundbreaking studies in those areas. Dr Manthey is the Head of Working Group "Public health and substance use" at the Centre for Inter-Disciplinary Addiction Research at the University of Hamburg in Germany. You can follow Jakob's work here and on Research Gate. Resources for the episode  Review: "Restricting alcohol marketing to reduce alcohol consumption: A systematic review of the empirical evidence for one of the ‘best buys’" Commentary by Critchlow on Manthey et al.: "No more missed opportunities—We need to address the absence of robust and comprehensive evaluations about the real-world impact of statutory restrictions on alcohol marketing" Casswell's letter to the editor: "Misleading conclusion from limited research approach: Comment on Manthey et al. ‘Restricting alcohol marketing to reduce alcohol consumption: A systematic review of the empirical evidence for one of the 'best buys'" Letter to the editor by Manthey and colleagues, in response to Casswell: "Rescheduling alcohol marketing bans within the World Health Organi

Countries Fail To Utilize Alcohol Policy In United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks For the tenth episode in our third season we discuss how countries are using the potential of alcohol policy to achieve the sustainable development goals - based on a landmark report from the UN Interagency Task Force on NCDs. Together with Scott Chiossi and Nick Banatvala we’re telling a story that will change how you view the role and potential of alcohol policy for promoting development.  In today’s show, host Maik Dünnbier speaks with Scott and Nick about their landmark report that describes if and how alcohol has been integrated into United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks (UNSDCFs) as a risk factor for developing NCDs and/or as a link to mental health and behavioural conditions. They analyzed 135 countries that rolled out a UNSDCF recently to see if and how alcohol policy is being addressed. In their conversation they discuss the findings of their analysis and why this analysis was needed in the first place? Together, they make sense of the findings. The results of the study are underwhelming but Nick and Scott help to understand the reasons why - charting a constructive way forward. They explore a key analysis of how different policy areas and dimensions of sustainable develpoment benefit from alcohol policy action. And Nick talks about multiple paths forward that the Task Torce, WHO and other UN agencies, civil society, and countries can take.  Our guests Nick is the head of the Secretariat of the UN Interagency Task Force on NCDs.  Nick was Head of Global Affairs at the Department of Health in England where he led the development and implementation of the UK Government's first-ever global health strategy.  Nick has vast experience from his work in the UK government, at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the US, and at universities.  In addition to being the lead author of a number of WHO and UK government publications, Nick has published widely in a range of peer-reviewed journals. Nick is co-editor of Noncommunciable Diseases: A Compendium, published in 2023.  You can follow Nick's work on LinkedIn. Scott is a Technical Officer working as part of the Task Force Secretariat. He coordinates and supports a number of the Task Force’s working groups, and works on the Joint Programme on Catalyzing country action for NCDs and mental health.  You can follow Scott's work on LinkedIn.  Resources for the episode  Book: "Noncommunicable Diseases A Compendium," Edited By Nick Banatvala, Pascal Bovet UNIATF Report: "Countries Fail to Utilize Alcohol Policy in United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks" UNIATF Report 2024: "New Report Shows Raising Pro-Health Taxes Could Save 50 Million Lives Over Next 50 Years" UNIATF News update: "Discussions at UNGA highlight alcohol is not being addressed in UN Cooperation Frameworks" Report 2020: "WHO NCDs Progress Monitor 2020" News report: "World Health Assembly Adopts More Best Buys to Tackle NCDs, Reconfirms Impact of Alcohol Policy Best Buys" Scientific study: "The Burden of Non-communicable Diseases Among Adolescents Aged 10–24 Years in the EU, 1990–2019" Feedback Your feedback, questions, and suggestions for future topics and guests is most welcome. Please get in touch at maik.duennbier@movendi.ngo. You are most welcome to follow Movendi International and Maik Dünnbier on LinkedIn, too.

Are We Moving Into a New Era For Alcohol Policy Globally?  Season 3, Episode 10 For the tenth episode in our third season we discuss the question of whether we’re moving into a new era for alcohol policy globally. Together with Dr Matt Lesch we’re telling a story that change how you view the challenges, opportunities and progress in global alcohol policy.  In this podcast episode, host Maik Dünnbier speaks with Matt about two of his studies that investigate the state and development of global alcohol policy over the past 14 years – from the adoption of the WHO Global Alcohol Strategy in 2010 to the adoption of the WHO Global Alcohol Action Plan in 2022. They talk about why both policy documents matter and what their significance is. Matt compares the Global Alcohol Strategy and the Global Alcohol Action Plan and this analysis allows to identify key themes and to assess whether the Action Plan is an advancement for global alcohol policy. The conversation takes place at the intersection of global health, political science, and real world policy making. And Maik and Matt dive into topics that are relevant for policy makers and alcohol policy advocates alike. Together they talk about how the alcohol industry, their fundamental conflict of interest and their interference against WHO-recommended alcohol policy is being tackled and whether this marks a step in the right direction of protecting public policy making from corporate interests. And they explore the pros and cons of whether these developments pave the way towards a new era for global alcohol policy. Our guest Dr Matt Lesch is a lecturer at the University of York, in the UK. Matt’s expertise lies in the politics of policymaking. He has an interdisciplinary research agenda situated at the intersection of comparative public policy, political science, and public health. His main research interests include ideas and policy change, processes of policy transfer, and the politics of evidence-policy making. His research has explored these issues in several different domains, including alcohol policy, public health, and taxation. Follow Matt’s work on LinkedIn. Resources for the episode  Study from February 2024: “Are we moving into a new era for alcohol policy globally? An analysis of the Global Alcohol Action Plan 2022-30” Study from June 2024: “Continuities and change in alcohol policy at the global level: a documentary analysis of the 2010 Global Strategy for Reducing the Harmful Use of Alcohol and the Global Alcohol Action Plan 2022–2030” The WHO Global Alcohol Strategy from 2010 (PDF) Movendi International resource page about the WHO Global Alcohol Strategy The WHO Global Alcohol Action Plan from 2022 (PDF) Movendi International resource page about the WHO Global Alcohol Action Plan Report: Big Alcohol Attempts to Undermine WHO Global Action Plan News story from May 2022: “World Health Assembly Adopts Historic Global Alcohol Action Plan. Movendi International Makes Four Recommendations For the Way Forward” The Alcohol Issues Podcast episode with Prof. Amandine Garde: “A Human Rights Based Approach to Alcohol Policy: the WHO Global Alcohol Action Plan and Beyond” Feedback Your feedback, questions, and suggestions for future topics and guests is most welcome. Please get in touch at maik.duennbier@movendi.ngo. You are most welcome to follow Movendi International and Maik Dünnbier on LinkedIn, too.  

Keeping Women Safe From Violence Fueled By Alcohol – Making the Case for Action Season 3, Episode 9 For the ninth episode in our third season we explore the role alcohol plays in fueling violence against women. Together with Caterina Giorgi and Kristina Sperkova we’re telling the story of how we can keep women safe from violence fueled by alcohol. We learn from advocacy success and real progress in Australia and make the case for action. In this episode, host Maik Dünnbier speaks with Caterina and Kristina about their experiences of advocating for alcohol policy to be part of the solutions to the crisis of gender-based violence. They dive into the Australian story and learn about the advocacy success and we discuss the global picture of alcohol’s role in men’s violence against women and why there’s little progress in problem recognition and policy development. They explore the factors of success in Australia and talk about other countries where similar coalitions are achieving progress. They also talk about the commercial drivers of men’s violence against women, the importance of partnerships and of women with lived experience driving the conversation and they discuss the responsibility of governments to take action. Our guests Caterina is the CEO of FARE, the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education. FARE is a not-for-profit organisation with a vision for an Australia free from alcohol harms – where communities are healthy and well, and where laws, policies and programs are fair, equitable and just. In her role as CEO of FARE, Caterina is partnering with affected communities and women with lived experience, survivng men’s violence fueled by alcohol. Together they’ve mounted an impactful advocacy initiative to make alcohol policy a priority in the national response to the crisis of violence against women. Follow Caterina’s work on LinkedIn. Kristina is the International President of Movendi International. Movendi International is the largest global social movement working to protect people from the harms caused by alcohol companies and to achieve development for all through advancing alcohol policy solutions so that everyone can live up to their fullest potential. In her role as President of Movendi, Kristina has been leading the work to address alcohol harm as a feminist issue, exposing how the alcohol industry foments stereotypes, norms, and behaviors that dehumanize, objectify and sexualize women and fuel gender-based violence. Follow Kristina’s work on LinkedIn. Resources for the episode  FARE has a dedicated page about action on alcohol and gendered violence. FARE’s advocacy campaign timeline is very informative and inspiring. The Prevention Collective – a global network of practitioners, activists, and researchers working to end gendered violence worldwide – released a comprehensive evidence review on the potential of addressing alcohol to prevent and reduce gendered violence. Movendi International resources on alcohol’s role in gendered violence: 300+ resources article on issues regarding alcohol violence. 18 blog posts by Kristina Sperkova with a feminist lens on alcohol harm and policy actions, with a focus on alcohol policy action to prevent and reduce men’s violence against women. 50+ science digest articles summarizing latest science on alcohol and violence against women and the prevention potential of alcohol policy. World class research report: Alcohol and violence – part of the research report series “Alcohol and Society”. Feedback Your feedback, questions, and suggestions for future topics and guests is most welcome. Please get in touch at: maik.duennbier@movendi.ngo. You are most welcome to follow Movendi International and Maik Dünnbier on LinkedIn, too.

Redefine Alcohol - the Groundbreaking WHO Europe Campaign Season 3, Episode 7 In this episode, we explore Redefine Alcohol - a groundbreaking new campaign launched by the World Health Organization in Europe. Together with Aleksandra Olsen of WHO Europe we’re telling a story that might change how you think about the role of alcohol in society. Stay tuned! About the guest: Aleksandra Olsen is Communication Officer at WHO Europe. She is currently supporting the WHO-EU Evidence into Action Alcohol Project. In this role, Aleksandra works with communication planning and strategy, communications activities, social media, PR and media relations.

For the sixth episode in our third season we discuss how World Cancer Research Fund International wants to galvanize governments to address alcohol’s direct link to cancer. Together with Kendra Chow from World Cancer Research Fund International (WCRFI) we’re telling a story that might change how you think about the role of alcohol policy in efforts to prevent and reduce cancer deaths.

The State of Alcohol Policy in the World: Discussing Key Findings of the WHO Global Alcohol Status Report 2024 Season 3, Episode 5 For the fifth episode in our third season we welcome back Dr. Maristela Monteiro. Together host Maik Dünnbier and Maristela talk about the state of alcohol policy in the world. Recently, the World Health Organization released the Global Alcohol Status Report 2024. And Maristela and Maik discuss the key findings of the report and talk about what it all means for alcohol policy advocacy. Our guest Maristela Monteiro is a world class expert in alcohol policy and science. She has worked at the World Health Organization headquarters between 1994 and 2003. And between 2003 and 2023, she was the senior advisor on alcohol at the Pan-American Health Organization. Since she retired from PAHO, Maristela is a freelance international specialist for example regarding alcohol policy advice and research on alcohol related topics. Maristela has been involved in all the WHO Global Status Reports on alcohol, since the very first edition in 2001. All in all, in the 23 years since the first status report in 2001 and the most recent edition in 2024, there have only been 6 reports but Maristela lead on or contributed to all of them. Follow Maristela on LinkedIn. What we discussed In this conversation, Maristela shares her key findings from the latest WHO Global Alcohol Status Report. So Maristela and Maik discuss the latest situation regarding alcohol consumption in the world. Maristela helps make sense of the figures and puts them into perspective – for example how big or small the reduction of alcohol use during the pandemic really was. They also explore latest figures on alcohol harm and Maristela shares which findings stand out to her. In the conversation, Maristela and Maik dive deeper into the report’s findings concerning the state of alcohol policy in the world. Maristela shares her insights on topics such as the alcohol policy best buys, alcohol taxation, and online retail and on-demand alcohol delivery. Where have we made progress and where not, and why – these are issues Maristela explores. Maristela and Maik round this conversation off by looking into the future – as the report does, too. Countries are not on track to reach the alcohol-related global targets of the SDGs. What does that mean and what can be done about it? Maristela shares insightful analysis that is both empowering and inspiring to the alcohol policy and science community. We recorded this conversation on July 1st, 2024 – a few days after WHO released the report in a public webinar. Resources for the episode  Global Alcohol Use Rising, Policy Goals out of Reach Already in 2019, a landmark study published by the Lancet revealed that global alcohol consumption had increased over the past 3 decades. The study warned the world would fail to achieve the global targets to reduce alcohol use. Globally, alcohol intake increased from 5.9 litres pure alcohol a year per adult in 1990, to 6.5 litres in 2017, and is predicted to increase further to 7.6 litres by 2030. Feedback Your feedback, questions, and suggestions for future topics and guests is most welcome. Please get in touch at: maik.duennbier@movendi.ngo. You are most welcome to follow Movendi International and Maik Dünnbier on LinkedIn, too.  

For the fourth episode in the third season of the Alcohol Issues Podcast we discuss and expose the “master manipulators”. In two very recent Alcohol Policy Evaluation Hearings in both the Scottish and British Parliaments, alcohol industry participation drew widespread criticism and scrutiny. We discuss why and what can be done about it. In this episode, we reveal and discuss the lobbying narratives and spin of alcohol industry lobbyists on display in two separate parliamentary hearings.

The State of the World’s Children: How can we provide support to children growing up in households with alcohol problems? Season 3, Episode 3 Seen with the eyes of our children, the world we live in has an alcohol problem. In 2021, UNICEF released the flagship report entitled “The State of the World’s Children”. It explored the mental health of children, adolescents and caregivers. The report addressed alcohol as a risk factor for the mental health of children and young people. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), such as violence, abuse, neglect, household alcohol problems, are in turn linked to sexual risk taking, mental health issues, alcohol and other drug use problems and violence. Thus, perpetuating a vicious cycle.  That children have to grow up in homes with alcohol problems is an invisible and silent but massive crisis - worldwide. For this podcast conversation we have invited four guests to discuss how we can provide support to children growing up in households with alcohol problems. Dr. Joanna Lai DrPH, MPH, MsED Health Specialist Maternal Newborn Adolescent Health Unit Health Section, Programme Division UNICEF NYHQ  Kristina Sperkova, MPsy International President, Movendi International, President, Movendi SK Mr. Winyoo Srisupachok Social Innovation engineer Project consultant, The Cultivation of children for Positive Consciousness and protection from health risk factors (Alcohol, Tobacco, other Drugs etc.) Stop Drink Network in Thailand Mona Örjes President, Junis, social movement in Sweden for child rights and child health with a focus on protecting children who grow up in household with alcohol problem We recorded this conversation as a livestreamed event on February 15, 2024, during the global awareness week for children of households with alcohol problems. There is a pressing need for more action to increase recognition of and support for children of households with alcohol problems.  Some community programs exists and some advocacy campaigns show promising results, along with growing attention to the magnitude and urgency of the problem. In a timely event, Movendi International brings together experts in the fields of child rights and child health with community leaders working to protect children from adverse experiences due to parental alcohol use problems.

For the second episode in our third season we discuss alcohol issues past, present, and future. Together with the President of Movendi International, Kristina Sperkova, we will review key alcohol policy highlights in 2023 and we will discuss the outlook for alcohol policy trends in 2024.

How Communities Can Advance Cancer Prevention Through Awareness and Policy Action on Alcohol Season 3, Episode 1 For the first episode in our third season we discuss an action agenda to address the link between alcohol and cancer: How can communities advance cancer prevention through awareness and policy action on alcohol. Cancer due to alcohol affects millions of people every year but the alcohol industry still keeps people in the dark about the fact that their products cause 7 types of cancer. In Movendi International, one of our biggest priorities is to help prevent cancer through alcohol policy. Last year we launched the Be Loud For Change campaign to empower and engage communities to advocate for change by raising awareness about alcohol and cancer and by promoting action from policy makers. In the first year, we’ve seen some inspiring progress. For this podcast conversation we have invited four guests to discuss how the alcohol industry keeps people in the dark about alcohol and cancer and what we can do about it. And we explore insights and lessons from both science and community action in countries such as Sweden, Uganda, and Colombia to chart an ambitious way forward. The Guests Dr Nason Maani is a Lecturer in Inequalities and Global Health Policy at the University of Edinburgh’s Global Health Policy Unit. His research seeks to describe the mechanisms through which commercial actors affect health inequalities, knowledge and public discourse. He serves as an invited expert and technical consultant for the WHO global programme on economic and commercial determinants of health, and is the host of Money Power Health, a podcast series discussing the social and commercial forces that shape our health. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts, and a 2019-2020 Commonwealth Fund Harkness Fellow. Dr Blanca Llorente is Research Director at Fundacion Anaas in Colombia. She is an Economist from the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, with decades of experience in teaching and research on topics related to economics, environment and health. She has also developed community interventions for the prevention of non-communicable diseases, including tobacco control and alcohol policy development. Emil Juslin is the former head of the EU office of IOGT-NTO, the largest social movement for alcohol prevention in Sweden. Emil has deep experience in both alcohol policy advocacy, community engagement, and exposing and counter-acting alcohol industry interference in Swedish and EU policy-making processes. Juliet Namukasa is the country director of LM International in Uganda and the chair of the Uganda Alcohol Policy Alliance. Juliet is also a member of the International Board of Movendi International. She has profound experience in poverty eradication work in Uganda, lifting up people and communities through advancing community-based and population-level policy solutions. We recorded this conversation as a livestreamed event on February 2, 2024. Questions we discussed How does the alcohol industry keep people in the dark about alcohol and cancer? Overall: what are some of the efforts of the alcohol industry to influence the public discourse in their favor; and to influence the framing of alcohol problems and possible solutions regarding alcohol harm? How are alcohol industry organisations misleading the public about alcohol and cancer? What are the three main strategies you have identified? Community action example #1: Sweden How big is the cancer burden due to alcohol in Sweden? What is the level of awareness among the public healthcare professionals and politicians? How does the campaign in Sweden work to raise awareness about alcohol and cancer? Community action example #2: Uganda Is cancer an issue of concern in Uganda? How are you using the evidence about alcohol and cancer in your advocacy work and what is the response you receive? Community action example #3: Colombia How big is the cancer burden due to alcohol i

The Alcohol Issues Podcast – Season 3 Episode 01 This podcast episode is part of Movendi International’s work to support an evidence-based approach to protecting more people from alcohol harm. Two quotes from the report outline the importance, urgency, and potential of the subject of this podcast: Especially alcohol as risk factor for hypertension has not yet been given the attention it deserves in policy, guidelines and clinical practice. The role that alcohol consumption can play in the development of high blood pressure is not well understood by the general public, by healthcare providers or by health policymakers. In this conversation Dr. Tim Naimi talks in-depth about alcohol and blood pressure – and what societies, law makers, health systems and people can do about it. The conversation The conversation covers a range of topics. Among others, Tim and Maik discuss questions, such as: Why does the issue of blood pressure matter in the context of alcohol harm? Why did you and your colleagues decide to write a research report about the issue? How does hypertension relate to heart disease in general? What is the global burden of hypertension?  Why is it important to know about alcohol’s effect on blood pressure? What is alcohol’s causal role in hypertension? There is increasing scientific scepticism for the once widely held belief that low dose alcohol use can provide protection from cardiovascular diseases. Why is scepticism growing? What does the report add to this development? In the report you talk about “untapped potential for improved clinical practices and broad-based population-wide alcohol policies to prevent ill-health and prolong life.” Why do clinical guidelines matter and how does the report recommend alcohol should be addressed at the population level? Why does alcohol policy matter for heart disease prevention? The guest: Dr. Timothy Naimi Dr. Timothy Naimi is currently the Director at the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research, at the University of Victoria, BC, Canada. He has worked as a physician for the U.S. Indian Health Service, and as a senior epidemiologist with the Alcohol Team at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and as professor in the Boston University Schools of Public Health and Medicine. His research interests include alcohol epidemiology, the health effects of substance use, and the impact of alcohol and cannabis policies.  Tim is part of an international group of researchers that come together every year to dive deeply into a specific topic of alcohol research. They conduct extensive research to identify relevant published science on the selected topic. And then, the group reviews and summarizes the search results. This analysis is then published in a report. This year the report deals with alcohol and blood pressure and podcast host Maik Dünnbier has the chance to talk with Tim Naimi about the key findings, conclusions and what it all means. Resources for the episode  Movendi International has published more than 40 resources about the link between alcohol and heart disease, since 2015. Research report: Alcohol and Blood Pressure. Media Release: Even Small Amounts of Alcohol Can Be Harmful to Blood Pressure and the Heart The World Heart Federation (WHF) published a policy brief in early 2022 that showed the strong evidence base that no amount of alcohol is good for the heart. The Alcohol Issues Special Feature: “ Alcohol and Heart Disease: “What we know about alcohol’s role in multiple heart conditions and risk factors for negative cardiovascular outcomes” Research report: Effects of low dose alcohol consumption. Feedback Your feedback, questions, and suggestions for future topics and guests is most welcome. Please get in touch at: maik.duennbier@movendi.ngo. You are most welcome to follow Movendi International and Maik Dünnbier on Twitter, too. Listen to the episode Listen to season 3, episode 01 of the Alcohol Issues Podcast wherever you get your podcast

Achieving the SDGs Through Alcohol Policy: European Countries Ignore The Potential The Alcohol Issues Podcast – Season 2 Episode 09 Flawed understanding of alcohol harm leads to lost potential in using alcohol policy as catalyst for sustainable development. Alcohol is, for example, a driver of poverty and hunger (SDG 1 and 2). The products and practices of the alcohol industry cause a significant and increasing global disease burden (SDG 3). Alcohol is a risk factor for violence (SDG 5 and 16), and it contributes to inequalities (SDG 5 and 10). The harm caused by alcohol companies undermines economic productivity and hinders economic growth (SDG 8), disrupts sustainable consumption (SDG 12) and adversely impacts the environment (SDG 6, 13 and 15).  But these effects are not considered by European countries in the design of measures to achieve these sustainable development goals. Effective alcohol policy solutions, the so called three best buys, are largely missing from transformative action that the Agenda 2030 calls for and that governments committed to. In this show guest host Pierre Andersson talks with Kristina Sperkova about her freshly published peer-reviewed research article that examines how European countries address alcohol as obstacle to development. In their conversation, they discuss alcohol policy issues beyond the WHO Global Alcohol Action Plan to enhance the understanding of alcohol policy not only as public health priority but also as human rights priority – and the potential of such an approach. S2 E9 Topic: New Study Illustrates Failure of European Countries to Address Alcohol as Obstacle to Sustainable Development Alcohol is, for example, a driver of poverty and hunger (SDG 1 and 2). The products and practices of the alcohol industry cause a significant and increasing global disease burden (SDG 3). Alcohol is a risk factor for violence (SDG 5 and 16), and it contributes to inequalities (SDG 5 and 10). The harm caused by alcohol companies undermines economic productivity and hinders economic growth (SDG 8), disrupts sustainable consumption (SDG 12) and adversely impacts the environment (SDG 6, 13 and 15).    But these effects are not considered by European countries in the design of measures to achieve these sustainable development goals. Effective alcohol policy solutions, the so called three best buys, are largely missing from transformative action that the Agenda 2030 calls for and that governments committed to. A brand-new study provides ground-breaking analysis showing that most European countries fail to address alcohol as obstacle to multiple other Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) than health in the design of measures to make progress towards the SDGs. To make matters worse, inaccurate language related to alcohol harm indicates gaps in understanding of the extent of the alcohol burden and the consequences for sustainable development. This first-of-its-kind study, published in the peer reviewed journal PLOS ONE, spotlights the need to improve countries’ recognition of alcohol harm as cross-cutting impediment to 14 of 17 SDGs and countries’ capacity to utilize alcohol policy solutions as catalyst for sustainable development. The guest host and the guest expert This episode is guest hosted Pierre Andersson. He talks with Kristina Sperkova about her brand new study about the uptake of alcohol policy as catalyst for sustainable development in European countries. Pierre Andersson is the Policy Advisor Alcohol and Development at the IOGT-NTO Movement, from Sweden. The IOGT-NTO Movement is a Swedish development organization that works for poverty eradication by supporting partners to tackle alcohol as obstacle to development. Pierre has extensive experience is journalism as well as development work. Follow Pierre on Twitter: @pierrea Follow Pierre on LinkedIn: Pierre Andersson Kristina Sperkova is the International President at Movendi International. She is the lead author of the peer-revi

A Human Rights Based Approach to Alcohol Policy: the WHO Global Alcohol Action Plan and Beyond The Alcohol Issues Podcast – Season 2 Episode 08 Lost opportunity or new momentum or both? In the end of May, the 75th World Health Assembly will discuss and adopt the WHO Global Alcohol Action Plan. It is meant to help accelerate action on alcohol policy development after a lost decade when no progress was made. But is the new action plan up to the task or is it a lost opportunity for accelerating action on alcohol as public health priority?  In this show host Maik Dünnbier talks with Prof. Amandine Garde about the human rights law perspective on the global alcohol action plan.  In their conversation, they discuss alcohol policy issues beyond the WHO Global Alcohol Action Plan to enhance the understanding of alcohol policy not only as public health priority but also as human rights priority – and the potential of such an approach. S2 E8 Topic: Improving the global alcohol policy response with a Human Rights based approach In this conversation, Amandine shares her analysis of the strengths and gaps of the draft WHO Global Alcohol Plan. Maik and Amandine discuss the potential of a human rights based approach to improving the global and regional alcohol policy response. They talk about alcohol issues, such as labelling, trade, taxation, and the harm caused by the products and practices of the alcohol industry – from a human rights law perspective. And they dive into why and how governments should act collectively to protect people from alcohol harm.   The discussion goes into depth regarding the following questions: What does a Human Rights based perspective of the WHO Global Alcohol Action Plan find? What is a rights-based approach to alcohol policy development and what is its potential? What can countries do collectively to advance alcohol policy development, regarding the many cross-border alcohol issues, such as taxation, marketing, labeling, the emergence of online trade and on-demand delivery? What is the potential of a global binding instrument for alcohol control? The guest Amandine Garde is a Professor of Law at the University of Liverpool. She has developed a specific research expertise on the role of law in the prevention of non-communicable diseases and is Founding Director of the Law & NCD Research Unit, which regularly advises international organisations, NGOs, public health agencies and governments worldwide. Follow Amandine on Twitter: @AmandineGarde Resources for the episode  140+ scientific articles about alcohol harm and human rights, from Movendi International’s Science Digest. 700+ news stories about alcohol policy development and human rights, from Movendi International’s News Center. The UNICEF report, April 2018: “A CHILD RIGHTS-BASED APPROACH TO FOOD MARKETING: A GUIDE FOR POLICY MAKERS“ Prof. Garde’s publications on NCDs (including alcohol) and human rights, relevant recent studies: On the rocks? A few sobering thoughts on the growing EU alcohol problem Garde, A., & Bartlett, O. (2017). On the rocks? A few sobering thoughts on the growing EU alcohol problem. In T. Hervey, C. Young, & L. Bishop (Eds.), Research Handbook on EU Health Law and Policy. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar. doi:10.4337/9781785364723.00029 DOI: 10.4337/9781785364723.00029 Regulating Lifestyle Risks: The EU, Tobacco, Alcohol and Unhealthy Diets (Book) Alemanno, A., & Garde, A. (Eds.) (2015). Regulating Lifestyle Risks: The EU, Tobacco, Alcohol and Unhealthy Diets. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. doi:10.1017/CBO9781107478114 DOI: 10.1017/CBO9781107478114 Combatting obesogenic commercial practices through the implementation of the best interests of the child principle(Chapter) Garde, A., Byrne, S., & Byrne, S. (2020). Combatting obesogenic commercial practices through the implementation of the best interests of the child principle. In Ending Childhood Obesity – A Challenge at the Crossroads of International Economic and

Lessons From Big Tobacco: How and Why Big Alcohol Created Social Aspects Public Relations Organizations The Alcohol Issues Podcast – Season 2 Episode 07 A new groundbreaking study changes our understanding of the alcohol industry, elucidating similarities and inter-relationships with the tobacco industry. The researchers examined the Truth Tobacco Documents Library to gain unique insights regarding alcohol industry social aspects organizations. They analyzed content directly from industry actors themselves. This way the researchers are now able to tell the story of how and why Big Alcohol began creating public relations front groups. This podcast episode with Jim McCambridge is part of Movendi International’s work to raise awareness about the unethical practices of the alcohol industry and how to advance public health oriented alcohol policy solutions. Analyzing internal industry documents In this episode host Maik Dünnbier talks with Professor Jim McCambridge. The conversation with Jim provides deep insights into the evolution of social aspects and public relations organizations that operate in the interest of alcohol companies. They discuss, for example, that based on the study’s findings alcohol companies’ front groups can no longer be called “social aspects” organizations.   In this conversation Prof. Jim McCambridge shares unique insights into the origins and purposes of alcohol industry “social aspects organizations” as portrayed in internal tobacco industry documents.  The guest Jim McCambridge holds the Chair in Addictive Behaviours & Public Health at the University of York. Jim is also Visiting Professor at Linkoping University in Sweden, and Conjoint Professor at the University of Newcastle in Australia. Jim now holds a Wellcome Trust Investigator Award in Humanities and Social Science to advance study of the alcohol industry, public health sciences and policy. This supports one of two five-year research programmes that Jim leads.  Jim first trained in Sociology, then in Social Work, and went on to work with drug users. His PhD study, at the National Addiction Centre at the Institute of Psychiatry, was a randomised controlled trial of motivational interviewing for drug prevention among young people. Jim’s scientific work is dedicated to policy-related research that seeks to develop our understanding of the roles the alcohol industry plays in national and international policy making context. S2 E7 Topic The alcohol industry regards the harms caused by the use of their products as a public relations issue that needs to be managed as such. So, in the 1950s the began working with the tobacco industry to devise strategies to undermine policy as well as science development. Maik and Jim discuss what the long-term public relations goals of the alcohol are. And they dive into three major developmental periods in the evolution of alcohol industry social aspects organizations to discuss which threats the alcohol industry felt they need to respond to and which strategies they deployed. The conversation explores the objectives and methodology of the study entitled “The Origins and Purposes of Alcohol Industry Social Aspects Organizations: Insights From the Tobacco Industry Documents”. Maik and Jim talk about two major questions:  What is the strategic purpose of SAPROs for the alcohol industry? Why do they spend considerable amounts on SAPROs?  And which major developmental periods in the evolution of alcohol industry social aspects organizations can be identified and what do we learn from them? In the study, Jim and colleagues show that the alcohol industry identified the developing population-level understanding of alcohol problems in the 1980 as existential threat. That is a remarkable finding and so Maik discusses this issue in depth with Jim. There is another remarkable thought in the study: "It is challenging to contemplate just how profoundly the alcohol industry may have biased what we think we know abo